Anyone who has visited Lake Como, Lake Maggiore, or Lake Garda might think that every lake in Northern Italy is well and truly overrun with travelers – but there are a few other lakes in the area that are far less famous, and therefore far less visited. Lake Iseo, between Como and Garda, falls into this category. It’s not a big lake, and doesn’t have as many towns to choose from to turn into your holiday home base, but the crowds are smaller.
There are a number of hotels around Lake Iseo that have a lake view, and this list isn’t meant to be an exhaustive one – it’s merely meant to help narrow the choices a bit so planning is easier to manage. Not all of these hotels are on the luxury end of the scale – there are some that are a bit more reasonable – but they aren’t what you’d likely call “budget hotels.” A lake view will cost you – although it may cost less on Lake Iseo than it will on some of Italy’s other lakes.
The Hotel Araba Fenice is right on the lake in the town of Iseo. There are 34 rooms in the hotel, 22 of which have a lake view. Very few of these have a balcony from which to enjoy that view, however. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool between the hotel building and the lake, so you can even go swimming in the private pool while enjoying a lake view. There’s an on-site restaurant, a parking lot, and even private boat berthing available.
The Hotel Rivalago faces the lake and there are no buildings between the hotel and the water, so many of its rooms have a lake view. Some also have a private balcony from which to enjoy that view – and still others are facing in the opposite direction. There are 28 rooms in total, plus 4 “junior suites.” Hotel amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and private parking.
The Relais Mirabella is set on a hill overlooking the lake, and the hotel is surrounded by green lawns and woodland. There are 28 rooms between the buildings on the property, most with a lake view and many with a private balcony. There are two on-site restaurants at the hotel.
The beautiful Iseolago Hotel & Spa in the town of Iseo (on the lake of the same name) has the benefit of a proprety that’s both lakefront and surrounded by vineyards. There are 66 rooms in the hotel, and every room has a nice view – those without a view overlooking the park and lake will get the nature reserve on the opposite side. There are also apartments for groups or for longer stays. There’s an on-site spa complete with sauna and Turkish bath, and a restaurant serving the best of the local cuisine.
The Hotel Ulivi is a few steps from Lake Iseo, and – as the name suggests – is surrounded by property that includes “centuries-old olive trees.” In addition to being right on the lake, it’s also only a short walk into the center of Paratico. Not all of the rooms have views of the lake, although most rooms do have a balcony or small patio. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool and a private car park.
